37 File For County Municipal Races

January 3, 1985|By David Jackson, Staff Writer

Michael Gomes filled out the forms and -- more importantly -- paid the $50 filing fee, but spent Wednesday night not knowing whether he was an official candidate for re-election to the Pompano Beach City Commission.

That`s because Gomes, who did his paperwork at 4 p.m., couldn`t find the acting city clerk. The clerk has to sign and notarize the election documents before Gomes becomes a legitimate office seeker.

``I don`t know whether it officially got filed or not,`` said Gomes, who went home confident that the bureaucracy of democracy would be straightened out this morning.

Meanwhile, 36 other county residents -- with perhaps a combination of philanthropy and masochism -- volunteered for public service Wednesday, the first day of filing for March 12 elections in 18 cities.

Three other North Broward cities will hold elections in the spring, although there were no filings in Hillsboro Beach and Sea Ranch Lakes on Wednesday. Filing ends at noon on Jan. 16.

In Lighthouse Point, Mayor Albert E. Fletcher Jr. and Commissioner Richard Ford both filed for re-election to terms of two years. In addition, Fred C. Bamman, a member of the city`s planning and zoning board, filed for a commission seat currently held by Thomas F. Doolittle.

Gomes, 44, an attorney elected to the Pompano Beach City Commission in 1983, is one of two incumbents up for re-election. Vice Mayor E. Pat Larkins did not file Wednesday, but is also expected to run again.

There have been no announced opponents.

Other filings in Broward:

(BU) Coconut Creek -- Bob Shelley, 73, a retired business executive, filed as a challenger for the City Council.

(BU) Dania -- James Adams, 72, a retired construction worker with 10 years of experience on the City Commission, has filed for another two -year term.

Also filing was Howard Hirsch, 65, an antique store owner and dealer and a former city commissioner in the 1970`s.

(BU) Fort Lauderdale -- Two incumbents and four challengers filed Monday for five commission seats that are selected through a controversial at-large system that is being contested in federal court.

Vice Mayor Robert O. Cox and Commissioner John Rodstrom Jr. are being challenged by: Jim Naugle, a Realtor and owner of a downtown hardware store; Mike Curran, a stock broker and former councilman in Wilton Manors; Brian Rothschild, a commission gadfly who has bitterly criticized commission policy in handbills posted on utility poles and buildings; and John F. Phillips, a local attorney.

The top vote getter on March 12 becomes mayor, the second highest becomes vice mayor and the next three become commissioners. This at-large election system has been criticized as being discriminatory toward minorities and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference has challenged it with a class action suit in federal court.

(BU) Hallandale -- No filings.

(BU) Lauderdale Lakes -- Harry Rosenkrantz, 67, a retired restaurant owner, filed Wednesday to run for his second two-term on the City Council. Also filing was Lou Tenner, 73, a retired union leader in the men`s clothing industry who is seeking his fourth two-year term.

(BU) Margate -- Incumbent Mitch Anton, an account executive for a pair of radio stations, and challenger Robert P. Franklin, a retired linen service driver, filed for the city`s at-large election.

(BU) Miramar -- Two incumbents filed: Tom DeSantis, 44, a branch manager for a computer supply company in Miami; and Marty Sobol, 43, an assistant principal at Miami Northwestern Senior High School.

(BU) North Lauderdale -- Gary Frankel, 34, real estate salesman and a member of the Planning and Zoning Board, will be making his fourth attempt at a City Council seat.

(BU) Oakland Park -- Four candidates, all of them seeking public office for the first time, filed Wednesday to run for seats on the Oakland Park City Council.

Mervin Span, 44, a building contractor and the first black person to run for the council, filed for Seat 4, now occupied by council member Charles Howard. Caryl Stevens, 48, a secretary and bookkeeper, also filed for Seat 4.

James Loss, 56, businessman and husband of former council member Florence Loss, filed for seat Seat 5, as did Dale Hoover, 34, a marine engineer. Seat 5 is held by council member Catherine Thompson.

No one filed against Freilich, but Merritt received a pair of challengers: Mike Shayne, 57, a Realtor who served on the City Commission from 1973-1981; and Barry Ahringer, 33, facility administrator of the Pompano Beach Community Correctional Center.

The third incumbent up for re-election, Neil La Hurd, did not file for re- election, but two challengers did: Will Connelly, 54, marketing executive with a marine science and technology company; and Marty Dishowitz, 33, an attorney.

(BU) Pompano Beach -- Commissioner Michael Gomes, 44, an attorney, has submitted the necessary paper work and his $50 filing fee. But the city clerk must sign the form today to officially make Gomes a candiate for another two- year term.

(BU) Sunrise -- Four people -- including incumbents Bill Colon and Larry Hoffman -- filed for the at-large election in which the three top voter getters are elected to the City Council.

The challengers are Dan Pearl, 74, a retiree and former council president; and Russell Posner, 38, chiropractic physician who runs a travel agency.

(BU) Tamarac -- Shirley Blumfield, 69, a member of the city`s human relations commission, filed for her first attempt at a two-year term on the City Council.

The city is also holding elections to its charter board and incumbent Melanie K. Reynolds, filed for re-election. Reynolds, 79, served on the charter board 1978-80 and was again elected in 1983.